PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Motorcycles: Greater Manchester (6 September 2023)

On 27 March, the Government launched the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/anti-social-behaviour-action-plan) ensuring the police, local authorities and other relevant agencies have the powers they need to tackle the blight of anti-social behaviour, including off road bike nuisance, facing communities across England and Wales.

The plan is backed by £160m of funding. This includes up to £60m to fund an increased police and other uniformed presence to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, targeting hotspots. Initially we are working with 10 police force areas, but from 2024 we will support a hotspot approach across every police force area in England and Wales. We are also providing up to £50m to support the provision of Immediate Justice, by issuing out of court disposals with conditions to swiftly repair any damage – the aim being for them to start within 48 hours of referral. This will start in 10 initial trailblazer police force areas and be rolled out across England and Wales from 2024.

The police, local authorities and other local agencies can deal with anti-social behaviour involving vehicles (e.g. off-road bikes, racing round estates, driving across public open spaces) in the same way as they deal with any other anti-social behaviour. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.

We are giving the police the resources they need to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. Greater Manchester Police recruited 1,280 additional uplift officers against a total three-year allocation of 1,155 officers. On 31 March 2023, there were 8,067 police officers in Greater Manchester, a total growth of 1,280 additional officers against the baseline (6,787) at the start of the Police Uplift Programme. Greater Manchester’s funding will be up to £740.1m in 2023/24, an increase of up to £25.0m when compared to 2022/23.